Anxiety
Anxiety: The Brain’s Alarm System
Anxiety is the body’s built-in safety mechanism, designed to protect us from danger. But sometimes, it misfires—treating everyday stress as if it were a real threat.
In this session, we’ll explore:
✅ How the brain processes anxiety – Understanding the fire alarm analogy and why anxiety can feel so overwhelming.
✅ The role of the amygdala – Why it acts like a smoke detector, sometimes overreacting to harmless situations.
✅ Why logic struggles to take over – How the hippocampus (memory) and prefrontal cortex (reasoning) try—but often fail—to calm the alarm.
✅ What this means for teens – Why they experience anxiety so intensely and how they can learn to take back control.
When anxiety takes over, the amygdala is in full control, while the logical brain struggles to step in. Understanding this process can help you support your teen in managing anxiety—teaching them to pause, assess the situation, and engage strategies that help their brain regain balance.
Download Section:
Understanding Anxiety Handout – A deeper understanding into how the brain reacts to anxiety and what helps.
▶️ Click play and learn how to help your teen navigate anxious moments with confidence.
